Books

Paris, Henri Floury, 1923. 34 x 26 cm, 2 ff. bl. - suite de neuf h�liogravures sur cuivre en noir - 2 ff. bl., en feuilles sous couverture verte rempli�e, imprim�e et illustr�e, reprenant au premier plat, en r�duction, le frontispice. Deuxi�me et dernier tirage dans ce format de cette s�rie compos�e par Odilon Redon pour une premi�re �dition illustr�e des Fleurs du mal qui ne parut jamais. Le premier tirage, �galement en h�liogravure (proc�d� Evely) et identique au n�tre mais � plus grandes marges et avec la lettre, fut l'oeuvre de l'�diteur belge Demain en 1890. Il fut limit� � 43 exemplaires (sur les 50 pr�vus). Le m�me �diteur donna l'ann�e suivante une version r�duite au format in-8 � 100 exemplaires. Le tirage que nous proposons, au format initial, fut limit� � 150 exemplaires, tous sur v�lin du Marais, dont 100 destin�s � accompagner les exemplaires de t�te de la monographie de Mellerio sur Redon et 50 exemplaires hors commerce num�rot�s en chiffres romains. Celui-ci l'un des 100 num�rot�s en chiffres arabes, � la presse au dernier plat et � la mine de plomb sur chaque planche (n� 97). Superbes et d�lirantes compositions symbolistes, de toute raret� en grand format. Petites d�chirures au dos de la chemise. (MELLERIO, 198-206 ; MONOD, 1082 ; CARTERET, IV, 64).

"Les Fleurs du mal" (The Flowers of Evil) is a seminal work by Charles Baudelaire, first published in 1857. It stands as one of the most influential collections of poetry in the modernist movement, exploring the complexities of beauty, decadence, and the ephemeral nature of happiness within the urban landscape of 19th-century Paris. Baudelaire delves into themes of love, despair, existential angst, and the search for transcendence, using vivid imagery and innovative poetic techniques to convey his insights and emotions. The collection is renowned for its exploration of the concept of "spleen," a term Baudelaire uses to describe a deep sense of melancholy and disillusionment. This mood is contrasted with the "Ideal," representing moments of beauty, joy, and spiritual elevation. "Les Fleurs du mal" captures the duality of human experience—the coexistence of light and darkness, purity and corruption. Baudelaire's poems navigate the reader through the gritty realities of urban life, touching on themes of alienation, moral decadence, and the impact of industrialization, while also seeking beauty in the mundane and the morbid. Baudelaire's work caused a scandal upon its release, leading to a public obscenity trial and the condemnation of six of the poems, which were only reinstated in later editions after his death. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, "Les Fleurs du mal" has endured as a masterpiece of French literature, influencing countless poets and artists with its complex portrayal of human nature and its pioneering use of symbolist imagery. Through "Les Fleurs du mal," Baudelaire not only reshaped the landscape of poetic form and expression but also offered a haunting, visionary response to the discontents of modern life.